Projects Intern Review

My time at Siemens has given me the chance to work in cities all over the UK and visit countries abroad to view plants and processes which I had never even thought possible. Although I have been here almost a year, I am still regularly caught off guard at new sights, sounds, people and innovations. I have learned to expect the unexpected and enjoy the ride.

I am currently about to sign a new contract to extend my internship while they design a new contract for me to stay on at Siemens full time. I have been trusted to help run a £56 million project and I am confident that they need my input. my opinions and advice are taken seriously by Siemens staff at all levels, contractors, suppliers and our customers.

I only have to ask and my manager supplies me with whatever I need to help me do my job. I have as many training courses as I have had time for which I could never have afforded to do without coming to Siemens. I just wish I could have joined up for more but I really do have a day job that I love to much to be away from for too long.

I was never prepared to be this busy as an intern but Siemens are molding their interns to become the best possible future workers so I am glad I have got used to the pace expected at the company. They give you the equipment and skill set to knuckle down and work hard and I am glad that I have.

I never imagined I would be given so much responsibility as an intern. I am currently an assistant project manager on a huge multi million pound modification programme and I am on site daily managing a fleet of 51 trains while they have 12 different mods being carried out including a whole interior refresh being just one modification. I am the central point of contact day to day on this project.

I am not going back to uni, I'm going to stay at Siemens and work here forever.

The London office was very professional and friendly. People were willing to help out whenever you needed anything. There wasn't much conversation but people made n effort to socialize at lunch and after work. The Newcastle office was awful. The atmosphere was toxic. People were horrible about each other and I feel sorry for anyone who has to work there. I cried nearly every day and when I finally told the ELT manager, he pulled me out straight away, I wish I had told him earlier because he was really supportive and I feel silly for letting it go on for so long. I would quit if I ever had to go and work there again. The Manchester office is friendly, full of chatter and laughs. Plenty of socializing, people help each other and there is a lot of loyalty to each other. It is a shame there isn't more room as more grads and interns would do well here. The depot is also a lovely place here with helpful and funny techs who will help anybody out any time. The production managers are lovely and if they get ratty then it tens to be because you genuinely have done something wrong but they don't hold a grudge. Southampton is very process driven and clean. Friendly enough bunch. The Northampton office is cliquey and a bit restrictive. I don't really understand the dynamic. NTAR is very internal. They do their own thing and everyone else isn't really in their gang. Its a shame because individually they seem like nice people but together they are judgey.

Not great. You basically have to say where you want to go and then get in touch with the manager of that department who will host you. I was lucky with my placements as I got to spend a minimum of 3 months in each and all but one of the managers there were well organized and had a plan for me. I still don't really understand what I am actually meant to do with the paperwork for the internship though. I get emails to remind me to do it but I don't know how to find it or what it is. it would help if the ELT visited us now and again and took us through it.

I couldn't have asked for anything more. Everything I asked for I got. they also offered me many many courses - some of which I had to turn down because I had too much in my diary. I have a lot of rail industry qualifications now along with two different internationally recognized project management qualifications which I didn't know they would let me do when I first applied. They also do internal courses which really help you get to know the product and Siemens culture.

I am in negotiations now and I plan to stay with Siemens. I have been offered the same amount of money closer to home but I would prefer to work for Siemens because of the future job prospects and I enjoy being here and coming into work every day. The flexibility it gives me doesn't make it too much of a hardship to work from home.

I don't really see any other interns or grads. there are only 3 other interns and we see each other at designated events which I don't always go to as my schedule is too busy. I have heard that in offices where there are a few together then they have a good social life. I have a good relationship with my colleagues but due to working in depots mot of the time, I can never have alcohol in my system so rarely go out. due to forever changing location, we cant join gyms. I eat out with other people but its always different people - staff, contractors, suppliers and customers. it just depends who is about but I am perfectly content to be by myself and catch up on work. I am currently studying for my final project management exam so I don't really have time to socialize much.

There was no cost. At siemens, you generally travel a lot which means everything is put on your company credit card and claimed on expenses. When I first moved to London to start my internship, I found accommodation which I paid for but it was cheap as it was a spare room in a family home. travel to work was quite expensive. quite quickly I was working out of London at least twice a week which meant hotels and free food. I was then sent back to my home town so I lived at home. After that, I moved to Manchester and lived between there and York in hotels and I pay for nothing - so far it has been 6 months. If you need something for work, they will allow you to have it.

It has been different all over. London was different depending on where you went. right outside of work was full of siemens or network rail staff al in about 3 bars. Manchester was always busy on a Thursday night and has a lot of places to eat and drink within easy walking distance of the depot and hotels. York seems busy most nights. Its a good night out in Northampton though.

There are loads of opportunities on notice boards in the Frimley office and I've seen a few emails go round in the London office. there is a social networking site which is like an internal Facebook where you can get involved in stuff like choir and book clubs or social nights but I've never really looked to be honest.